Comelec commits to make 2016 polls most transparent

MANILA, Philippines – Despite challenges brought about by the Supreme Court (SC) decision on the printing of voter receipts, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it is committed to making the May 9 polls “the most transparent elections in Philippine history.”

At a hearing by the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System (JCOCAES) yesterday, Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said the poll body has set in place safeguards as required by law to ensure transparency in the conduct of the polls even if the SC ruling has “dealt a curve ball in our preparations for the upcoming elections.”  

“But that is the past and we’re here to move on. We are looking to catch up,” he said, referring to the initial shock felt by poll officials after the SC issued the ruling requiring the printing of vote receipts.

“However, we would like to categorically announce to the committee and to the public that all the safeguards provided in Republic Act 8436 as amended by Republic Act 9369 or the Automated Election Laws, all the safeguards will be in place for the 2016 elections and in fact even more,” Bautista said.

“We will endeavor to make this 2016 elections as the most transparent elections in Philippine history,” Bautista said.

The SC recently ordered the Comelec to activate the voter verified paper audit trail feature of its vote counting machines (VCM) in compliance with the Automated Election System Law.

The Comelec is now in the process of procuring thermal paper, scissors and boxes for the printing and storage of the voter receipts.

On schedule

Comelec commissioner Christian Robert Lim said that they are on schedule on all aspects of preparations for the May 9 elections.

Lim noted that training of the Board of Election Inspectors is 90 percent complete while all the ballots are expected to be ready by April 25 or even earlier.

With regard to voter receipts, Lim said the opening of bids for the supply of the thermal paper would be on April 5 and, barring any obstacle, delivery would be on April 20.

Lim said they sought permission from the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) to forego public bidding, but was told the body was authorized to act only on the request if the procurement is P500 million and above. The required thermal paper would only cost P85 million.

Bautista asked the JCOCAES to provide the Comelec with legal cover to proceed with the purchase of thermal paper without public bidding, but this was not granted.

Both Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, chairman of the JCOCAES, and Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said the committee does not have the authority to grant this request of the Comelec.

“Let me just be clear, this is not the course of action we wanted to take. If the committee can say that you believe there is an emergency then maybe we can take that into account when we make a decision as to whether or not we will proceed with the regular bidding or go through alternative mode of procurement,” Bautista said.

But even using the current timetable, the Comelec said it would be able to disseminate the thermal paper to precincts across the country in time for the elections on May 9.

Lim said the Comelec is prepared to tap the various vehicles of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as well as commercial airlines to transport the thermal paper to the provinces.

With the additional steps required for the printing of voter receipts, Lim maintained voting hours on May 9 would be from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bautista urged all voters to go to the precincts early and not wait for the last minute to cast their votes.

He said the adjustment in the voting hours was intended to take advantage of daylight. Lim also said it’s all systems go for the overseas absentee voting to be held from April 9 to May 9.

Mall voting

Bautista also said they are ready to defend the legality of the mall voting project even before the SC.

He expressed confidence the project can withstand legal test if critics opt to contest it before the SC.

Both the Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code, he said, give the Comelec the power to determine and designate polling places. – With Mayen Jaymalin, Christina Mendez